Only 8% of People Keep Theirs, So Here's Our Top Tips

New year, new me! It's 2022, you've set your resolutions for the year, but you're already struggling to commit... don't worry, it's a familiar story.

Whether it's exercising more, limiting your screen time or spending more time with loved ones - over 60% of us set them, but over 20% of resolutions are failed within a week and only 8% of people keep and achieve their resolutions.

After a challenging 2021 and an uncertain 2022, this year, it's more important than ever that any goals you set are achievable. There will be road bumps along the way, so factor this in to any plans, and most of all - be kind to yourself. When you look back, you'll have been doing better than you thought.

So where’s it all going wrong when it comes to keeping resolutions?

The most common reasons for failing our resolutions include:

• Going at it alone

• Setting unachievable goals

• Giving up too easily

• No plan to implement it

So, how do we break this cycle? We asked Team Rugged for their tried and tested tips for sticking to New Year’s Resolutions so that you can proudly count yourself in the 8% of people that stick to theirs in 2022.

Claudia’s tip: Shout about it on socials

If your New Year's resolution is hobby-related, for example if you're wanting to up your fitness game, or get into crocheting or cooking, why not make a dedicated social media account! Set up an Instagram page dedicated to your journey. Not only will it hold you accountable (1 post a week), but it'll also allow you to get fully immersed in that community where you can praise and encourage one another.

Robin’s tip: Reduce the temptation to give in with notes

If you’re worried that, as time goes on, you might be tempted to give in on new year’s resolutions - help future you! For example, if your resolution is to eat less chocolate on weekdays, get someone you live with to hide your chocolate in the house and then leave yourself a note where the chocolate would have been. The note should be a friendly reminder, such as “You’re doing great, but let’s leave that chocolate until Saturday, shall we?”.

Cath's tip: Incorporate fun

There's no point in setting yourself up for a fail by resolving to do something you are going to hate. If you want to exercise more, but despise running, look for something active you enjoy instead - whether that's yoga, wild swimming or Zumba (my personal fave!). If you love it, you'll make time to do it - and that makes it great for both your physical and mental health.

Harry’s tip: Buddy up

Set goals with friends and family. You’ll find that you motivate each other to continue with the goal you’ve both set. You’ll also find that you don’t want to let your buddy down - you’re doing it for more than just you now.

Lucy’s tip: Schedule and record it

Particularly when it comes to exercise or fitness, schedule it into your diary. Just like a coffee with friends or a dinner out, make it a concrete plan by sticking it in the diary and you’ll be less likely to cancel. Keeping a record ensures you’re making a conscious commitment of what you want to achieve.

Simon’s tip: Send yourself a postcard

Write down your resolutions on a postcard and send it to yourself for arrival in the first week of January. It’ll act as a prompt reminder of what you’re aiming to achieve that year. Plus, it might arrive in perfect time for when the mind starts to wonder.

Jack’s tip: Set specific short and long-term goals

Setting specific short-term goals towards a longer-term goal is a great way of breaking resolutions down into manageable chunks. For example, a poor goal would be “I want to exercise more”. It’s not specific and it isn’t measurable. In comparison, a few specific short-term goals would be “I will exercise for 30 minutes 3 times a week”, “I will cycle to work (weather permitting)”, with the long-term goal being “I want to run a half-marathon in June”. 

New year’s resolutions aren’t for everyone, but they’re a great way of setting goals for the year ahead and initiating change. So, whether your new year’s resolution is to try something new, exercise more or spend less time on your phone, make it something that’s important to you, be specific and don’t give up at the first hurdle. If you can make it fun, there's a better chance you'll stick to it for the long-haul.

2022 – you’ve got this!